Shoot The Moon
by Goodbyecruelworld
Summary: Why they had to each be lonely...was it just the season? Alvin/Brittany


_The summer days are gone too soon  
You shoot the moon  
And miss completely_

I sighed and reminisced about the long, lazy summer afternoons we spent together. We were only fifteen when I first admitted my feelings for her. I remember how that beautiful smile had vanished.

"Alvin...I don't want to ruin our friendship." She said, letting me down as gently as she knew how to. I thanked her for trying, but it still felt as though she'd plunged a knife into my heart. Plunge a little deeper, I'm still breathing...

_And now you're left to face the gloom  
The empty room that once smelled sweetly  
Of all the flowers you plucked if only  
You knew the reason _

I spent many weeks just moping about, not sure how to handle the situation. Brittany seemed to understand. She avoided me for a while, knowing she was the last person I wanted to see.

As the years went by, I forgave and forgot. We tried to go back to the way things were. We tried to rekindle that old friendship, that indelible bond that even _I_ didn't understand. It wasn't the same as before. I-I think Brittany sensed it too. We were more distant.

I started dating different girls, often times multiple girls at once. I didn't really care about any of them; I just needed someone, anyone, to hold. I look back now and realize that I was trying to fill that empty hole that Brittany had once occupied. At the time, though, I had no idea why none of the relationships ever lasted longer than a week...

_Why you had to each be lonely  
Was it just the season?_

I awoke late one night to a rapping on the door of my apartment. I hadn't seen her in about three years and was shocked when I saw her tear-stained face. Her eyes looked me over and a soft smile tugged at her lips.

She pounced on me, holding my face in both hands and kissing me passionately. I had no idea why she had done so, but at the moment I didn't care. I wrapped my arms around her waist and reveled in the feeling of holding her close to me.

She backed me into the room and kicked the door shut. How she had managed that without even looking at it, I'll never know. She was quick to pull off her shirt and was now working on mine. I helped her along a bit as we reached my bedroom.

She was completely undressed and working on getting rid of my boxer shorts. I took charge and gently pushed her into my bed. I stopped kissing her for a moment and looked down at her big blue eyes questioningly, silently asking permission. She just nodded and pulled me back down so she could kiss my neck.

I gave up on trying to locate her mouth in the darkened room and started to kiss where ever I could reach. I tenderly kissed her cheek, then her lips, then the corner of her mouth. I continued across her face and down her neck. She inhaled quickly when I reached her collarbone.

"Alvin." She breathed. It was quick and I barely heard it, but I knew what it meant. She wanted me to stop beating around the bush and get to business. I couldn't help it. I hadn't seen her in years and this was my chance to take in every inch of her. I wanted it to be slow and thorough, but she obviously didn't have the patience.

I heeded her command and heard her moan softly. I shut my eyes for a moment letting everything sink in. I could feel her heart thudding in perfect harmony with my own. Her hands tangled themselves into my hair before moving down my back. She nibbled on her lower lip and her nails dug into my shoulders. This was more than I could've ever imagined. The intimacy of the moment was almost too much to bear.

Afterwards, I looked up at the ceiling and exhaled slowly. I turned over onto my side to find her already deep in sleep. I gently stroked her cheek and shut my eyes.

In the morning, I awoke before she did and made a fresh pot of coffee. After an hour or so, I woke her up. She studied my face with confusion for a moment before a look of recognition washed over her features. She sat up instantly and wrapped my sheet around herself. I handed her her clothes that had been so carelessly tossed across my living room and a cup of coffee. She accepted what I offered gratefully. I walked out of the room and sat at a table in the kitchen to finish my coffee.

She came out a few minutes later, zipping up her skirt with one hand, the other holding her cup. She sat across from me and shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"About last night..." She drifted off, not sure how to finish the sentence.

"It was great." I offered with a look of pure adoration.

"I love you, Brittany." I murmured, taking her hand in mine. She pulled away and frowned. We sat in silence for what seemed like hours, but could only have been a few minutes.

"I have a boyfriend." She finally blurted out. My eyes widened in surprise and I let out a terrified yelp. I could imagine a large, bulky man beating the living crap out of me for messin' around with his girl.

"Oh, calm down, Alvin. He doesn't even know you exist." She waved her hand at me dismissively.

"Tell him to join the club. They have t-shirts." I muttered darkly.

"I'm gonna dump him anyway. I caught the bastard cheating on me." She growled. I brightened at the idea.

"So...it could work. Us, I mean." I said hopefully. She just shook her head and walked towards the door. I went after her and put my hand over the lock.

"Think about it. I have half a heart, you have half a heart, and together we could finally be whole."

"That can't happen. The halves don't fit. Like mismatched puzzle pieces." She put her hand on my shoulder in a sympathetic manner.

"But, last night..."

"Last night didn't mean anything. I was just getting even. Good-bye, Alvin." She said. I moved and she left without another word. I sat back down and put my head in my hands. What was left of my heart crumbled...

_Now the fall is here again  
You can't begin to give in  
It's all over_

I spent the next couple of weeks locked away from the world. I knew her like no one else. The look in her eyes as she left told me not to try and find her. I wanted to listen to her, but a part of me wanted to hunt her down and try yet again to change her mind.

I opened my address book and dialed the number I found. I thrummed my fingers against the table top as I listened to it ring.

"Hello?" That voice brought a smile to my face.

"Hi, Eleanor. It's Alvin." There was silence for a moment followed by a warm laugh.

"Oh, my goodness. It's been forever! To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" I could tell she was trying to regain her composure.

"Are you still in touch with Brittany?" There was more silence.

"I call her about once a month. Why?" She sounded suspicious.

"You don't happen to have her address, do you?" I heard her sigh before answering me.

"Alvin...she's moved on. And I advise that you do the same."

"But, Eleanor...I need her to understand. I need her to change her mind. I _need_ her."

"Alvin, she loves you. I know she does, it's just that...times have changed. _Please_ promise me you'll try to move on."

"I'll try."

"Thanks. Now, if you don't mind, I have two screaming tots to attend to." I could hear the wails in the background and smiled in spite of myself.

"Sure thing, Ellie. Bye."

"Bye." I held the phone in my hands for a moment before hanging it up. Brittany had moved on. It was too late...

_When the snows come rolling through  
You're rolling too with some new lover_

I walked through the park, the bitter-cold winds stinging my eyes and making them water. My vision was slightly blurred, but not enough that I didn't recognize her face.

"Brittany?" She stopped and stared at me in surprise. Next to her stood a tall man with thick, curly brown hair. He had his arm around her waist.

"Alvin? Is that you? It's been ages." She leaned forward and gave me a warm hug. I breathed her in and felt my stomach tie itself in knots.

We parted and she turned to the man next to her.

"Rick? You go on ahead, honey. I'll be there in a little bit." He nodded and continued to walk down the path.

"Boyfriend?" The word tasted sour coming out of my mouth. She just nodded...

_Will you think of times you've told me  
That you knew the reason _

"About that night..." She shoved her hands into her coat pockets and sighed.

"It-It's fine." I sputtered.

"No, it's not. I shouldn't have taken advantage of you like that. I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm sorry."

"I forgave you months ago." I said gently. She smiled.

"I suppose I was just a bit lonely. I had wondered why my boyfriend wouldn't touch me. He was too busy touching his secretary." She said frostily.

"I understand perfectly. I was lonely too. In fact, it had been so long since I'd held anyone like that, I was about to propose the next morning." I said, laughing without humor. She chuckled and averted my gaze...

_Why we had to each be lonely  
It was just the season _

"Please tell me you're dating someone." She pleaded softly. I could only shake my head.

"Why?" I could see her eyes watering, whether it was from the wind or out of pity, I had no clue.

"I-I don't think I can." It was true. I felt sick just _thinking_ of anyone else. Of course I felt sick thinking of her as well, but it was a good kind of pain. One that I yearned for.

"Alvin, you know I love you right?" Her voice was trembling. I nodded.

"I only want what's best for you. I'm no good. You deserve _so _much better."

"No, I can't do any better than you. You're everything to me. You mean the _world_ to me." I felt like I was about to break down.

"I would if I could, but...Alvin, now isn't the best time."

"When _will_ it be a good time?"

"I don't know if it ever will be." She whispered. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and let the pain of her words sink in.

"I'll always love you. I'll never love anyone else."

"Why?" She sounded frustrated at my inability to move on.

"How could I not love you?" I answered with another question. One that she didn't have an answer to.

She pulled me into a tight embrace before walking away. I watched her for as long as I was able to. Until she was just a spec on the horizon...

**(A/N) The song is Shoot The Moon by Norah Jones. Reviews make me happy. Just click that little button...you know you want to. ;)**


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